(St. George, Utah – Jan. 9, 2024) - The Utah Tech indoor track and field team returns to action this weekend returning to BYU for the Cougar Invitational on Thursday through Saturday at Smith Fieldhouse.

COMPETING TEAMS
BYU, Utah Tech, Southern Utah, Utah Valley, Westminster University, Southern Idaho, Salt Lake CC

LOOK BACK AT BYU DECEMBER INVITATIONAL
The Trailblazers got the indoor season underway at the BYU December Invitational on Dec. 8-9 posting 26 personal bests.

Utah Tech set three new program records in the meet with Rashawnna Gibson in the 60 meters (7.77), Kaydance Sherwood in the 300 meters (41.63) and Ryan Mendez (1:18.34) in the 500 meters.

Junior Sadie Edwards placed eighth in the 800 meters clocking a time of 2:21.82 while in the sprints, sophomore Ashlyn Parish checked in 10th in the 60 meter hurdles breaking the nine-second mark at 8.99.

RETURNERS
Utah Tech brings back 22 returners this season with 10 sophomores and 12 juniors. Junior Addi Wyatt is back as a mid-distance runner after earning All-WAC honors in the 800 meters in the outdoor season last season.

NEWCOMERS
The Trailblazers welcome 18 newcomers to the team this season with six distance runners, eight sprinters, two sprinters/hurdlers, one hurdler and one jumper/sprinter.

INDOOR SEASON
The Blazers will compete in four more indoor meets this season with back-to-back trips to Northern Arizona with the NAU Lumberjack Team Challenge (Jan. 19) and Ron Mann Classic (Feb. 2) followed by a trip to Idaho State for the Mountain State Games on Feb. 9-10 and the WAC Indoor Championships is set for the Albuquerque Convention Center on Feb. 19-20.

HEAD COACH DERRICK ATKINS
Head coach Derrick Atkins is in his fourth season as the head coach of the track and field team in 2024.

With his guidance, the Trailblazers have achieved significant success setting 16 school records in outdoor events and 12 in indoor events, with 10 of those records being set in the 2023 season alone.

Not only has the team excelled athletically, but they have also excelled academically. They earned 20 Indoor Academic All-Conference honors and 45 Academic All-Conference honors outdoor.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

• THURSDAY
  • Running Events
    • 11:45 AM - 60m Hurdles (Women's Pentathlon)
    • 3:20 PM - 800m (Women's Pentathlon)
    • 3:30 PM - 600 yards
    • 3:40 PM - 4x800 Meter Relay
  • Field Events
    • 12:20 PM - High Jump (Women's Pentathlon)
    • 1:50 PM - Shot Put (Women's Pentathlon)
    • 2:30 PM - Long Jump (Women's Pentathlon)
    • 4:00 PM - Shot Put
    • 6:30 PM - Weight Throw
    • To Follow Men's Weight Throw - Discus
• FRIDAY
  • Field Events
    • 12:30 PM - Long Jump - 1 entry
    • 1:30 PM - High Jump - 2 entries
    • To Follow Men's Long Jump - Triple Jump
• SATURDAY
  • Running Events
    • 9:00 AM - 3000m Open Section - 8 entries
    • 10:00 AM - 60m Hurdles - Trials - 6 entries
    • 10:50 AM - 60m - Trials - 11 entries
    • 11:40 AM - 400m - 11 entries
    • 12:15 PM - Mile - 5 entries
    • 1:25 PM - 60m Hurdles - Finals
    • 1:55 PM - 60m - Finals
    • 2:20 PM - 800m - 4 entries
    • 2:45 PM - 200m - 19 entries
    • 3:40 PM - 3000m - 8 entries
    • 4:35 PM - 1000m - 4 entries
    • 4:45 PM - 4x400 Meter Relay - 4 entries
  • Field Events
    • 10:30 AM - Pole Vault